Pocatello man still in Ukraine as war rages on
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - It's estimated that more than 422 thousand people have evacuated Ukraine. But a Pocatello man was not one of them.
A member of Highland High School's class of 1996, Josh Domitz moved to Ukraine six months ago to be with his fiancee for over a year. Now, Domitz finds himself in the middle of a Russian invasion.
Domitz is currently living in a town roughly 45 minutes outside of Ukraine's capital of Kyiv. The war forced him and his fiancee to seek refugee. During the first day of the invasion, Domitz recalls hearing bombshells going off in the distance as the Ukrainian people took up arms.
" I got to see all the local tanks roll out and join the fight," Domitz said. "The third day I was standing outside having a cigarette and all I could hear was explosions coming from Kyiv."
The house Domitz is staying in belongs to his fiancee's friend's parents. Eleven people are currently seeking refuge there.
Domitz says that they currently have more than enough supplies to survive any kind of supply shortage, but has noticed the impacts on others.
"Supplies are beginning to grow shorter," Domitz said. "Fortunately the family we're staying with has chickens, has a garden, and has plenty of canned goods."
They even have an old bomb shelter to seek refuge in, if misles are and other explosives are launched. While Domitz hasn't seen any Russian troops march into town, he says it's only a matter of time.
Claiming he's heard reports of at least a hundred Russian tanks gathering in the north near Chernobyl and in eastern Ukraine.
"To be a hundred percent honest with you, it can happen any day now," Domitz said.
The United States, Nations, and NATO have been supplying Ukraine with weapons and supplies. The U.S. has gathered troops to ally nations surrounding Ukraine, but no orders have been given to send American soldiers to join the fray.
Domitz says the lack of involvement from all three has been not only frustrating for him but for the people of Ukraine as well.
"I feel that NATO, UN, and the U.S. are not doing half of what they were set out to do," Domitz said. "... yeah Ukraine is getting supplies but that's it.
"They're getting no military troops, they aren't getting their skies clear, so they (Russia) can get bombing runs at any time..."
Despite no end in sight, Domitz says he has no intention of leaving Ukraine with our without his fiancee. Claiming he will pay the ultimate sacrifice if he has to.
"If it comes to it, I will lay down my life to protect her and her family," Domitz said.
